* TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language (www.ets.org/toefl)
About the test: Administered by the Education Testing Service, TOEFL is one of the most widely accepted English-language tests in the world.
Format(s): Computer, paper, or Internet based.
Success tip: Increase your chances for success by joining TOEFL Practice Online, an interactive study community where you can exchange advice and access free sample questions.
* IELTS – International English Language Testing System (www.ielts.org)
About the test: The IELTS Test measures four English skill areas—listening, reading, writing, and speaking
Format(s): Academic or General Training. While both tests require the same Listening and Speaking modules, they have different Reading and Writing modules.
Success tip: For the Writing and Speaking sections, study an English thesaurus before the test—it offers several ways to describe a concept without repeating the same phrases. Also, review each writing prompt very carefully to make sure that you address all points.
* SAT (www.collegeboard.com)
About the test: Students’ ability to analyze and solve problems is at the core of this exam administered by the College Board.
Format(s): Each section—reading, writing, and mathematics—is scored on a scale of 200-800, with two sub-scores for multiple-choice questions and an essay.
Success tip: Complete every question on the SAT. Remember that blank answers are always wrong, while guessing offers a one-in-five chance for a correct response.
* ACT (www.act.org)
About the test: Tests knowledge in English, mathematics, reading, and science, as well as an optional writing section.
Format(s): Computer adaptive; takes 3.5 hours to complete.
Success tip: Since the English section of the ACT can be particularly difficult for international students, remember as you listen for the error in each example sentence that there are four most common types: errors in the way that a verb relates to its subject; pronoun errors; errors in sentence structure; and awkward or incorrect use of idioms.
* Graduate Testing (www.ets.org/gre) or www.gmac.com)
About the test: The two most common graduate entry exams are the GMAT (used to assess basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills in business degree candidates) and the GRE (predicts success in a variety of other graduate programs).
Format(s): Both tests are computer adaptive.
Success tip: Understanding the computer-adaptive nature of graduate testing is important in getting the best score possible. Remember that this format is designed to accurately assess your skills in as few questions possible, so each correct or incorrect response will impact the level of difficulty of the following question, and so on. Test takers should also keep in mind that skipping a question or going back to an earlier question is not permitted. In this format, clicking the “answer confirm” box cannot be undone.